Tuesday 15th - Wednesday 16th September 2015

The drive from Islamorado to Key West was a little longer, but an enjoyable drive. Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) (east), Sigsbee Park (north, originally known as Dredgers Key), Fleming Key (north), and Sunset Key (west, originally known as Tank Island). Key West is the southernmost city in the Continental United States. Key West is 106 miles (171 km) north-northeast (21.2 degrees) of Havana, Cuba. Cuba, at its closest point, is 94 statute miles (151 km) south. The original Key West settlement on the western part of the island is called "Old Town" and comprises the Key West Historic District. It includes the major tourist destinations of the island, including Mallory Square, Duval Street, the Truman Annex and Fort Zachary Taylor. It is where are found the classic bungalows and guest mansions. Generally, the structures date from 1886 to 1912. The basic features that distinguish the local architecture include wood-frame construction of one- to two-and-a-half-story structures set on foundation piers about three feet (one meter) above the ground. Exterior characteristics of the buildings are peaked "metal" roofs, horizontal wood siding, gingerbread trim, pastel shades of paint, side-hinged louvered shutters, covered porches (or balconies, galleries, or verandas) along the fronts of the structures, and wood lattice screens covering the area elevated by the piers. We found our hotel, Dad had booked us in a presidential suite in the Marriott hotel, it was so nice! We decided to head out and have a look down the main street of Key West, Duval street. It was in the old town of Key West and it was dead cute! I wanted to buy a house here! There was plenty of shops here for Mum and I to look around in! Spent way too much money again, but it felt good!! We had dinner at a place my parents were in last time they were here! It was really good food actually! We headed back to the hotel and had a nice evening relaxing in the comfort of our mini palace!! On Wednesday headed out to Key West old town again and had a wonder around some of the other areas. A lot of history was here, we found the starting point of highway 1, mile marker 0. So naturally took a picture, we also went to the marker showing the most southern point of the US and how far Cuba was! Everybody was giving me weird looks, pretty normal, when I kept getting Tigger out to take a picture of him! I find these looks kind of amusing now! I know Dad was getting involved with the picture taking, like most people have done when I've travelled with them! There is a lot of free roaming chickens due to cock-fighting being banned so they just released them all! A little bit odd coming across a chicken on the main street! But I guess its no different to an elk in Banff! The weather wasn't the greatest which was a shame as I wanted to see the sunset, but either way I had a really good time!